Game apparatus



April 1939- A A R. v. CHEATHAM, JR

GAME APPARATUS Filed July 22, 1935 Patented Apr. 4, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE Application July 22,

4 Claims.

This invention relates to game apparatus of the type wherein a playing member such as a ball rolls down an inclined playing field toward certain targets disposed on the playing field. In the 5 conventional game of this general nature complicated means are provided to propel the playing member upwardly along one side of the inclined field before permitting the playing member to reach aplaying position. Moreover, means to release the playing members from the targets in these conventional games also requires a complex structure. Furthermore, in the usual game of this nature the player has no control over the playing member except through the amount of force applied to the propelling member in raising the same to the elevated portion of the playing field. As a result of these features in the usual game apparatus a relatively complex structure results.

The present invention provides a solution to these disadvantages and has as a chief object the teaching of a simple construction of game apparatus by means of which an interest sustaining pastime may be provided.

A second object of this invention is the provision. of a game apparatus contained in a unitary enclosure which may be mounted in any, suitable supporting structure and enclosing an interchangeable playing field.

Another object is to provide a device permitting the operator to control the direction of the rolling ball throughout its entire course.

A still further object is to provide a construction insuring the return of the balls to the starting point by gravity and employing a minimum of mechanical movements.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a plan View of the device.

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view taken generally longitudinally of the structure.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged View of the ball release mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a cross sec-tion of box l on line AB.

Fig. 5 is a detailed view of pull rod l9 and stud 23.

In Fig. 1 an enclosure l which may be of rectangular form is shown as journalled in supports I8 for limited movement therein in a manner later to be described. The enclosure contains the essential elements of the game apparatus and has a floor or bottom 2 upon which may be detachably secured a playing field 3 having targets 4, 5 and 6. Since the playing field may be 1935, Serial No. 32.511 (01. 273 110 detached andv another playing field may be substituted therefor, it is apparent that numerous games with widely varying target locations may be played with the apparatus without requiring a change in the construction of the game mechanism or its supporting structure.

Adjacent one end of enclosure l are retaining blocks 1 and 8 servingto control the action of playing members or balls 21, 28 and 28 in a manner hereinafter set forth. The ends 9 and IQ of retaining blocks '5 and 8 are of a reduced thickness. Releasing rod I I is mounted in groove 12 cut in the floor 2 of enclosure l. One end of said releasing rod forms handle it, on which presses spring l4 while the other end is bent upward to extend through slot l in playing field 3. Axles l6 and I! are attached to enclosure and are journaled in frame IS on line CD. 19 is a pull rod journaled in arm 20 of frame l8, said rod being bent at right angles and having bifurcated upper and lower arms 2| and 22, (Fig. 5) forming spaced stops for stud 23 attached to enclosure l. The other end of pull rod is forms a ring or handle 24. One end of spring 25 is mounted on arm 28 for frame l8, the other end bearing against ring or handle 24. As shown in Figure 2, a'member 26 forms a cover for enclosure l and as explained hereinafter functions to provide a surface for holding the playing members in enclosure I when the enclosure is rotated into the inverted position shown by dotted lines in Figure 2. The balls or playing members 21, 28 and 29 are normaly held in com partment 30 at the elevated portion of the inclined enclosure I in the manner illustrated in Figure 3.

The operation of the device is as follows:

One or more balls in compartment 30 are released by a thrust on the manually operated releasing rod II which moves said rod and its upturned end in slot I 5 against the action of spring 14 thus clearing the passage between retaining blocks 1 and 8 to allow one or more balls to roll through said passage. Thus released, the ball or balls roll by gravity over playing field 3. In the downward course the ball or balls may be guided or controlled laterally in either direction by the operator who rocks box I on its axis CD. The limits to which box may be rocked are gauged by the distance between the upper and lower bifurcated ends 21 and 22 of pull rod I 9 which engage and act as stops for studs 23. When all the balls have been played .and'have come to rest in scoring receptacles or targets such as 4, 5, and 6, or have missed the targets and have rolled to the lowest end of the playing field, the balls may be returned to the original compartment 30 by pulling rod l9 against the action of spring 25 until disengaged from stud 23 thus permitting enclosure l to be rotated manually to an inverted position as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and allowing the ball to roll by gravity down the glass top 26 and beneath the reduced ends 9 or ID of retaining blocks 1 and 8 into the position 3|, shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. The player then rotates enclosure I back to the original position shown in full lines in Figure 2 and the playing member or members 21, 28 and 29 remain above the retaining blocks 1 and 8 and can be released only through the operation of the releasing rod II acting in the slot l5. Pull rod I9 is now released and spring 25 moves it forward so as to again engage stud 23.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a support, a pivotally mounted game enclosure having a cover means, an inclined detachable game board mounted therein, a playing member adapted to roll down the board from an elevated position, holding means for said member adjacent one end of the game board and adapted to retain the playing member in a ready position prior to playing, releasing means for releasing said member from the holding means in order to initiate play, pivot means holding the enclosure in the support whereby the enclosure may be inverted in order to return a released playing member along the cover and into ready position behind the holding means.

, 2. Game apparatus comprising a rotatably mounted inclined game board, a support, a playing member adapted to roll down the inclined board, a cover means for said board, holding means for the playing member positioned adjacent the head of the inclined board, means for releasing the playing member from said holding means and means pivoting the inclined board in the support whereby a released playing member may roll along the cover means and be held behind the holding means for subsequent play when the inclined board is inverted.

3. In a game apparatus having an inclined imperforate game board pivotally mounted in a support and adapted for manual tilting during play, a playing member adapted to roll down the board from an elevated position, holding means for said member positioned adjacent the normal upper end of said board, release means for said playing member, target means positioned on said board, a cover for said board along which a released playing member may roll when said board is inverted and means pivoting said board in the support whereby the board may be tilted during play in order to direct the playing member when released toward a desired target and may be inverted after play in order to restore the released playing member into ready position behind said holding means.

4. In a game apparatus, a rotatably mounted inclined enclosure adapted to be turned from an upright playing position into an inverted nonplaying position, a game board forming a floor for said enclosure, a cover forming a top for said enclosure and a playing member contained within said enclosure adapted to move down the game board when the enclosure is in an upright playing position and to move down the cover when the enclosure is in an inverted non-playing position.

ROBERT V. CHEATHAM, JR. 

